Internal combustion engine



March 19, 1940. H. zAHL I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l w "m m .0 m v mm ATTORNEY.

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i March 19, 1940. H. zAHL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. l2. 1938' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

to lines 5, andv 6 6, as indicated on Fig.. 2, the the pistons 8,wh1'e the'compression cylinders are so 35 supporting channels I adjacent vone ofthe timi f3 and outwardly Of Sallie iS installed quadrant 35 "40 cooling conduits andshowing the quadrants and or gatel for each cylinder after the passage of a 40 .50 tively, theyfhaving. at peripheral surfaces andl f at the receiving end of the power cylinders are 50 PatentediMar. 19,194() .i i i .y 'v i .l

INTER-NALy .COMBUSTION ENGINE VHjalrnar Zahl, Duluth, Minn, Application November 12, 1938 SerialrNo. 240,033

. e 5 Claims. (Cl.l 123-8) l I This invention relates to yinternal combustion OfIDiStOnsvthewider onel Carrying a plurality of engines, but to atype diiering from those oomengine or power pistons 8, while lthe narrower monly known as reciprocating or rotary engines, Ohe CeliieS e like number 0f COmDFeSSiOh'lJiStOnS I and which it isd'eemed may be properly termed 9. The iOtOTS are kprovided with notches indie' 15%, rotor and endless piston rod engin@l y catedlat I0, both 4forr'the large and small pistons 5' The principal object is to provide a, more effifor receiving same,fsaid notches being spaced thel i cient power Aunit of the internal combustion en- Dieper distende apart 'airellhd thev periphery 0f` gine type. y v the rotors to register properly with the pistons Another Objectis tok provide such a power unit es they tI'eVelSe the 1'0t01`S S0 that they form a having the maximum piston travel in relation to means for ,positive relative movement of the ro- 10 the power developed. f tOTS yand bands. y

other objects and advantages of the invention Intermediate 0f the rotors 4 and 5 and Xed will appear in the following description thereof. to the sdsframes I as by bracketsndicated at H l Referring now tothe accompanying drawings, is a `combined air chamber and somewhat Z-.`

' forming part of this application,` and wherein Shaped, hOuSihg StlU-Ctlll'e and Suppert, indicated 15' like reference characters indicate like parts: i fitl i2, and Within eithel` extremity 0f Said hOllSiIl' Figure 1l is a reducedelevation, partly inseeis incorporated a pair of cylinders, the one indition, showing the general arrangement of the Gated et i3 0h either Side being the pOWer Cylinprincipal parts of one of the engines.` dei and theehe indicated et i4 being the C0mlligurez is an enlarged elevation, pamy in pression cylinder. These cylinders are so posi- 20 section, of slightly more than one-half. of the tioned upon either sideof the' structure that the completely assembled engine, and having the band 6- Carryine the powerpistons registers with near side member of the engine frame' removed. the cylinders I3 axially and so traverses same,

Figure 3 is an under `side plan View 0f that while the compression pistons 9, carried upon the portion shown in Figure 2, with parts thereof in beit 'L Similarly tl'eVeiSe the COmPI'eSSiOn Cylin- 25 STATES PATENT- oFFlfcliff.I f

section, y ders I4. .1

Figure 4 is an yenlarged transverse section of Each 0f the'liOWer Cylinders S'DIOVided vWith one of the power or compression pistone means for opening and closing same at the proper y Figures 5 and6 are sections on their respective predetermined time in' TeSPeet t0 the tIaVeloOf former illustrating particularly water cooling f vSimilarly equipped at the OPPOSte ends for such means about the headof the power Cylinder, if coopera-tion with theirI respective pistons. such is foundnecessary.` A l For the operationjof such opening andr closing Figure 7 is a, transverse section 0f one of the mechanism, at the receiving end of each Cylinder ing rollers 46 and showingthe oscillatory support and toggle mechanism, the quadrants being therefor. i shown at I5 and I6 while two of the levers arev Figure-8 is a section through the housing on shown at vIl and I3 forpthe manipulation of the the line 8 8, Fig. 2, illustratin'gpossible Water pivotally mounted `lips or jaws `I9 of the closure t their supporting shafts `in elevation. piston 8 therethrough, while at the opposite or In theldrawings', I-I represent the side memdischarge I end of each compression cylinderk a bers of a supporting'fram'e'for'the engine, within likenpair of gate jawsZ are shown, they each which are supported two spaced non-rotatable being pivotally mountedas at 2| to a suitable shafts 2 and 3, the latter having means for lateral lateral extensionl of the cylinder and controlled 45 adjustment, the need for which willbe'described vas by thetoggle levers, 22 pivotally united asat later.l l ,l j 2,3 and operated by the extension levers 24 con- Upon these shafts are rotatably mounted relanecting with suitable levers keyed to the pivotal tively narrow drum-like rotors# and 5, respec-4 shafts 25fupon which the'quadrants I5 and I6 arranged with spaced flanges for'` carrying two. `mountedso that as the f receiving end of the at metal bands, one considerably wider than power cylinder is closed the discharge end of the the other, the'former being for the reception of compression cylinder willalso be closed, or the the endless band 6 and the other for the -narreverse, as the case may be. It is obvious from ,56- -rowerband 1.. "These bands are for the ycarrying the drawings thatthe jaws. I9 of the power cylin- 55 der are pivotedas at `2t and `operated by the other extremity of the toggle levers Hand I8 as at O, pivotally attached to their respective quadrants as at 2i and 28.

This quadrant and toggle arrangement for the openingand closing of the two cylinders vupon either'side of the engine is accomplished as by a short 4lever 29, pivotally connected as at 39 to the short arm of the quadrant IS, and vits opposite end is pivotally connected as at 3lI to the-lever arm 32 as well as the pivotally supported sustaining rod 33 being somewhat spring controlled or governed as by the expansive helical springl- 34 on said rod and tending to normally hold the rod towards closed position of thegate's i9.' The lever 32 is pivo'ted as at 35 and connected inter-v mediate of its ends as at 36 to the adjustably v lever is the pivotal connection 39'for thefrotor vengaging arm 4l), providing the necessary vmake and break contact, as at 4I, to the sparkplug .52.

i It will be noted that the adjustment feature inter-- mediate of arm 31 and lever 38 is 'readily'accomyplished as by the attachment of ,the clip 42 to for the pistons 8 so that they will close the gates with outwardly jogged` diametrically opposed channel portions indicated at 41 wherein vwhen the roller 46 enters such jog in the track the lever 38 is thrust outwardly .to correspondingly move the lever 32 on its pivotal support 35, and;

these jogged portions of the track are `positioned in proper relation to the recesses I0 inthe rotors or mouth of the cylinder the desired predetermined time after the 'piston 8 has entered each cylinder where it is ready for the compressed fuel charge to be received through the port 48.- v.This port is at the terminus of the pipe 50 leading from the reservoir 5I and is controlled by any formof rotary valve indicated at 49, the operation of which will be described later.

It will be noted that the jogged channel portions of the track 45 are somewhat elongated for the purpose of retaining the roller. 4B momentar: ily in such channel portion,before-contacting the exit terminal of such jog,.this being for the pur-- pose of allowing the pistons 8 to enter a predetermined distance within their respective cylinders to provide the necessary time and the otherwise unoccupied portiono'f each cylinder to become free for the insertion of the exposive charge. The communication from the compression cylinderl I4 to the engine cylinder for admission of the'charge back of the pistonafterits entrance into the cylinder is controlledv by a toggle arrangement of levers pivotally mounted upon the pivot`39 on the stem portion of the T-shaped lever 38,'and while it might appear essential that this pivotalpoint be stationary yet such is not the case as such pivotal point has slight movement toand from the rotor adjacent same, the functioning of which brings about proper relation of the .actuating ends of the levers so mounted, and the function.

ing ofthe lever 43 having been previously de-J ed the levers 53` and 54 which have a toggle connection with the angularly shaped crank arm 55 through the arms 56 whichy open and close the'.

valve 49. i l

The functioning of this toggle arrangement ofz levers from the T-shaped lever 38 is brought about by a pair of dogs 5l carried upon the side of each rotor adjacent the recesses I 0 withinv lever 54 as itis brought into; thev path of the dog by the end of the lever 38 being drawn-f inwardly towards the rotor yas( .it passes out of the jogged channel 4l, it will open the valve 49k admitting the compressed charge into the cylinder, which operation ybrings the actuating endl of the lever 53 `into the path'of the dog-5l which,- when struck by the continued rotation of' the rotan/will close the valve 48 again, and a still further fractional continuation of the rotor Awill bring `the dog 5'! into contactwith the actuating end of thelever 40,;:losingthe contact 4| ,tothe spark plug 52 and ring same, thispbviously--beel ing a very simple progressive actuation `toggle connection of levers.. t

of one set of levers as associated with one pair. of cylinders, it is obvious that the identical v-arrangement mustbe duplicated for the otherrpair of cylinders, and practically theonly part "of the bands and .rotorsl and their respective parts',.is they compression chamber and itsassociate parts.v

This part oi" thev'engine .is' better illustrated inl,

Figure 3 ,of the drawings where Aa plan yView of` same is shown as installed intermediate A.of the mechanism common to both,other than thev l rotors and attached to the side members I,-I l,of v

the supporting frame of the engine.I I t will be noted .that l.the ,brackets I I which support the housing I2v arev .materiallyenlarged laterally with the one on one side of the hous-i, j

ing beinghollow and forming the main air reservoir, .and which has formerly been 4referred tog as 5I, see Fig. 1, .While thebracket on the.

like member 6 4 having Aa plurality of annulijlz` thereupon simply jto form atortuous route for the compressed air after receiving `its optional quantity ofgasfrom the pump 63 as it traversesA the tubular chamber-,64 into the chamber liand thence lthrough the tubularfchambert tothe throttle valve' 66. After passing through ,the

engine cylinder is conducted/through a branch pipe, also indicated at 50. ,i f

Referring now to ,the compression yof .the air utilized in the charge fof theengine itwill be noted that thepiston 9 carriedby the'narrower band 6 isxpositioned slightlyito the rear"ofrthe engine piston 3,*.this` being for `the purpose offal.

lowing the piston the proper lead before closf ing the gates of `theengine.cylinderprior'to .re-

ceiving theA compressed chargejiwithin. the cyl-fV inder I4, and that the gatedy end' of the` compresel sion cylinder is provided withlra vlateral exten#V sion` 69 in which is houseda; suitable check. valve.

'Iii and-from whicheXtension-,is providedv the pipe I connection 'lIgto Lone end of the reservoir5lin .Y one lv of ,thebrackets' I.I, while a .similar l, pipe `con-i1' ing gear 82 fixed to one side oifthe rotor-,on

to a like extension S at the gated end/oi y.the

compression -cylinderupon the` other side of the engine. While the' speciiic construction of the .fuel pump 'is'not -a partk of 'my -present invention it yis" deemedessential ythat such a pump be i provided" with an-,adjustabl'e needle valve.; such as indicated at 'Hi whereby the discharge ofthe i .nozzle 1.5., may be adjusted to suit requirements for best efliciency. However, thefuelsupply pipe -to the pump is yillustrated,at 16 and the piston of the pump at 11, which pistonis-operated by the rod {lai-leading `to alsuitable'eccentricyconnection x19 .toy the lshort shaftiloperated` by the spur gear :8|l receiving its `power from the largergtimthe shaft.3. Just outside. ,ofgthe .gear 82 and keyed to the Ishaftz, is a supportingfarm St,

carrying .at its'` extreme outer'- end the shaft S0. The shaft,3,.as.before stated, is made adjustable longitudinally of the supporting frame of the engineior example bythe screw-threaded bolts 83 supported in the. bracketsv 84' carrying the ends n of said shaft:rv I Y .i u

In Figureoi the drawings there is shown the connection -of the- T-shaped` lever 38 with the `track 'on-thejrotor 5, this beingshown simply as one form of suitable connection. There is also shown in Figure 3- in section the connection of the lever38 to the track 45 on the rotor 4, and wherein the supporting .bracket I il! pivotally carries as .ati-|00 the upstanding rocker arm H32y lwhich is pivotally connected as at H93 to the bracket 38, and"v which pivotal connection also provides the support for the roller .lit which is in constant engagement with the track 45 of the rotor. See Figure '7 for ajbetter comprehension of this connection. y

In Figureis illustrated .the cooperative relation of the .two packing rollers85 whichare carried in the free ei'itrernlities` of the jaws I9 and which form the f pivotal connection between the jaws and their respective toggle arms I1 and i8. These rollers impinge l the band when closed just prior tofthel explosion of the charge back of the piston, and maybe of any desired construction. However, they are shown as provided with a relatively long bearing portion indicated at Ild,'and of hollow cylindricalconstructionA having al supporting axial pin m5 exy tending therethrough and screwfthreaded into the opposite side of thev jaws, .leavinga chamber about said pin withinthe roller .for thereception'of oil. It isto be understood that these rollers have a bearing substantially Wholly thereabouts within the jaw for strength in resisting the impact? resulting frornvrepeated explosions ofy the cylinder charge, as well as insuring lubri-` cationiofv the roller bearings and their contact 'l with the band, as they rotate independently of4 the bearing |04. Furthermore inthis figure is illustrated ra coring out of the cylinder casing as indicated. at 86` which may loe-resorted to for the I .y

circulation of water therethrough to cool the cylinders if found necessary, Provision for a similar waterspace, indicated at 8l and 88, is illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, which, obviously, requires an enlargement of the receiving end lof the cylinderasmoreclearly illustrated at` l8'nin Figure 8 lof `the drawings; this specic arrangement for. cooling purposes, however, forming no part of my present'invention.

In Figure 4 is illustrated one practical method I of piston assembly upon the-band 6 which latter mayor may, not be composed .of a""single orf nection' 12at the other end of the'reservoir leads double .band the latter, however, being illustrated, and f the ends of the` band sections? are shown united within the body portion of the piston; For th-isunion I have illustrated two holding bolts l B6 which extend through one-half ofthe. -bodyportion of the piston and through the abutting ends of the band into the other half of the "piston and impinging said` ends therebetween,l whileexter-` nally'oi the body portion `oi the pistonis screw threadedly mounted .the .packing ring carrying f annulus mi', However; other forms of uniting the band and formation of theipistons maybe resorted to without departing `from of the invention, it so desired.,y i

Any desired form of power take off maybe associated with eitheror bothA offthe venginerotors,y

and as an illustrationofone of such I` haveshown in Figure fof the drawingsgthe shaft' vItl carrying the small spur gear Htl meshing with vthe internally geared annulus ill fixed tothe rotor 4. i

the 'spirit e 1 Having thus described my invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. l. In an engine of the type described havinga' 2`5- fuel supply and ignition system associated therewith, two spaced rotors, endless iiat bands about said rotors, a pair of spaced relatively, long cylinderspositioned intermediate'of said rotors so that said bands pass axially therethrough, one of said cylinders being a power cylinder and the other a fuel compression cylinder, a plurality of pistons carried by said bands and spaced so that two thereof will vcooperatively engage their respective cylinders simultaneously, said fuel comof said rotors, an endless flexible band thereabouts for axial travel through saidcylinder, spaced pistons on said band, a second endless flexible band about said rotors, spaced pistons on said second band, iixed compression cylinders adjacent said other iixed cylinders for cooperation with said .second band and its pistonsl in. compressing vand administering an explosive charge to said iirst. mentioned cylinders, and

` explode said 1 means operable in timedrelation with the -travel of said pistons for control of closures for one end of all of said cylinders andfor ignition of .said charge.

3.y In an engine of thefclass described, spaced rotors', endless iiat bands about said`rotors,spaced pistons carried byv said bands, a pairy of fixed cylinders so positioned that said bands and pistons traverse same axially, one of said bands and pistons traversing one cylindervr for comf pressing Afuel and the other ,band and `pistons I traversing' the other cylinder rfor i developing power, doors forlsaid cylinders, vmeans for opening the. doors to the power cylinder as a`piston is about to enter the-same and closing the doorsimmediately after said piston has yentered said cylinder,"means for admitting a compressed fuel` charge lfrom said compression cylinder behind' each power piston immediately aftery 'ithas entered itsv cylinder 'and the `cylinder' doors are closedyand means for igniting said fuel charge and forcing said piston throughysaidcylinder.

lib.'

4:'I'n an engine of the class described, spaced double track rotors having spaced piston receiving notches thereabouts, endless flat bands about said rotorsone operable in each track, spaced pistons carried by saidbands and engageable in 'the'notches in said rotors to insure unity of operation oisaid rotors, xed cylinders so positioned that said bands and pistons traverse same axially, one of said bands and pistons being forcompressing the fuel yand another of said bandsand pistons being for providing power, doors for said cylinders, means foropening the doors of said power cylinder as a piston is about to enter `said cylinder yand closing same immediately after said l piston has entered said cylinder., means for admitting. a compressed fuel charge from saidfuel compression cylinder behind each power piston immediately after it has entered its cylinder and the doors lare closed, and means for igniting said inders and for' ignition of saidl charge.

fuel Charge and forcing Said Piston tln'ougli saidv t ycylinder. f

y 5. In an internalcylinders intermediateof said rotors', an'endless flexible bandthereabout for axial travel through combustion 'engine' having t spaced rotors, xed power fand' fuelcompression said .power cylinders,' spaced; l power'. pistons "on Sad band, a second endless exible band about" A' l` said rotors, spaced 'pistonson said second b`a`.'rd`, I

f said secondband and its pistons being-for'azial travel .through said compression cylinders for compressing fuel for'sad power cylinders and pistons, means for, administeringV an'e'xplosivel charge from saidcompression cylinders' to 'saidl y HJALMAR 

